Adam Badeau, Grant in peace: from Appomattox to Mount McGregor, a personal memoir

One day I received a letter for him from Edwin Booth, requesting in the name of his aged mother that the remains of Wilkes Booth might be privately restored to the family. The actor represented the sufferings of that family, ‘the most wretched,’ he said, ‘on earth,’ and pleaded that after the lapse of more than two full years there could be no objection on public grounds to the concession. Booth had been my intimate friend for many years. I could vouch for his loyalty, and knew how shocked and lacerated he had been by the act that shocked the nation. The letter was respectful and moderate though manly in tone, and I urged Grant to accede to the request. But he was immutable. He said the time had not yet come; and the sternness was so unusual in him that I thought it proceeded from the feeling I have described; that he meant to do what he thought Stanton would have done; and doubtless Stanton would have refused.

In December Congress re-assembled, and Johnson was obliged by the Tenure of Office Act to report to the Senate within twenty days his reasons for the suspension of Stanton. This he did, and on the 13th of January the Senate resolved that the reasons were insufficient. By the language of the law this decision at once re-instated Stanton. Grant had informed the President two days before that he should instantly vacate the office if such a decision was made. The President insisted that the law was unconstitutional and urged Grant to retain the place; but Grant replied that he would subject himself to the penalties of fine and imprisonment if he violated the law. Johnson offered to pay the fine and submit to the imprisonment; but of course this was preposterous, and Grant persisted in his determination. This